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Bristol to Brecon: where is it easiest to change?

Posted by (English but living in Melbourne, Australia) on

Traveline Cymru says train from Bristol to Cardiff, change there to T14 bus for Brecon via Merthyr Tydfil.
But Rome2Rio would route me by changing at Cardiff to another train to Merthyr and then the same Brecon bus from there.

I'm inclined to opt for the former because it requires only one change (and I shall have luggage), but I don't know how easy it is to get from Cardiff train staion to the "Philharmonic (stop JP)" in St Mayr's Street for the T14 bus. Would train station to bus station in Merthyr be easier?

Posted by
2399 posts

You are right to go with the former. On arriving at Cardiff Central rail station - just go with the herd and exit the station and head right (east). When you get to the first main road with traffic - just turn left and The Philarmonic will appear on your left. So, this is about a 4 minute walk.

However, I have another quicker way in which you can get from Bristol to Brecon. Go on www.nationalrail.co.uk and put in for BRI > AGV. That’s Bristol Temple Meads to Abergavenny. It will tell you to change trains at Newport and the journey can be done in as little as 1 hour 5minutes at a cost of £14.30 (pay on the day). To Cardiff it would be £13.80 one way if paying on the day. Now go to http://www.traveline.cymru and put in for a bus journey from Abergavenny rail station to Brecon. You will now see that a 4 minute walk is required from the station to the main road where the bus will stop. The journey to Brecon can be done in as little as 46 minutes. However, you might like to walk (if lightly loaded) down to Abergavenny town centre and have a wander around before catching a bus to Brecon.

Now look at the map that follows: you will see Abergavenny station is marked and also note the bus stop on the main road. Abergavenny town centre is about a 15 minute walk from the station towards the top and where it says ‘Oasis Snack Bar’ is where you will find the bus station - should you go this way and decide to have a look at Abergavenny before proceeding to Brecon. (If you go via Cardiff, I would suggest you spend some time wandering around the city centre). https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8181831,-3.0134839,711m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1

Posted by
418 posts

Many thanks to you, James, for taking the trouble to provide such a detailed reply.

So I'm feeling rather guilty that with further delving I've found a route which will suit me better and takes me closer to my eventual destination, which is 5 miles out from Brecon on the A40, going towards Sennybridge. I've been travelling there for many years, but usualy from London. If I get only as far as Brecon, I still need a bus or a lift to take me that bit further.

So I'll just do a variation from my usual route: train from Bristol to Cardiff, change there for train to Neath, and then the T6 bus will take me all the rest of the way. Easier now, as it seems the T6 bus-stop in Neath has now moved back to right opposite the train station where it used to be, so a tight connection is no longer so problematic.

Thankyou for suggestions about exploring Abergavenny and Cardiff, both of which I have visited in the past without luggage. And the information about the bus-stop in Cardiff could well prove useful on some future trip.

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